Live and Let Live
by Meer-Katnip
Summary: There's a reason she can't bear to see him die.


_As regular readers of my work may well be aware, I enjoy occasionally experimenting with different styles of fiction. I'm quite enjoying the style of writing in screenplay format, so I wrote this short thing- intended to be set the day after 'Exit Wounds' in Torchwood canon. As for Bernice- well, she's a character from the Doctor Who Expanded Universe (if you aren't already aware) and she's an archaeologist from the future. Irving Braxiatel is her evil megalomaniac ex-boss that's chasing her across the galaxy in the aftermath of 'The Wake' (an audio episode). There are references made to 'Glory Days' (in which Benny & co break into the most secure bank in the galaxy) 'Happy Endings' (the book where Bernice gets married) as well as several others. Most notably, I put in a rather large and obvious reference to my favorite Bernice book ever, 'Tears of the Oracle'. Seriously. Go read it._

 _I think that's about it. With that, go forth and enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **FADE IN**_

 **INT. HUB:**

The camera pans from the top of the Hub, and moves slowly downwards. Myfanwy swoops past, cawing loudly, as the focus comes to rest on a scene of complete chaos- papers everywhere, debris scattered across the floor, and a woman, lying unconscious, in the centre of it all. She's middle-aged, with short-cropped black hair and hoop earrings. This woman's name is Bernice Summerfield, and she's currently very far from home.

JACK (o.s.) **  
**Ianto? That you?

The camera continues to focus on Bernice, but switches to a different shot, this time featuring the door to Jack's office, where vague noises of someone dressing can be heard. Bernice is still unconscious, and shows no signs of waking.

JACK (o.s.)  
I told you you could have the day off today. Don't any of you people ever listen to me?

The door bursts open, and out strides Captain Jack Harkness, in all his charming roguish glory. He leans on the rails and glances downwards.

JACK  
Ianto? (pause) ...Gwen?

He takes in the scene, and raises an eyebrow.

JACK  
Who's been sleeping in my Hub?

 _ **CROSSFADE TO:**_

 **INT. HUB- A FEW MINUTES LATER**

Jack, in the absence of anyone else, has resorted to picking up the unconscious woman and taking her across to the couch on the second floor of the Hub. It's apparently very heavy work, judging by how hard he's working.

JACK  
Phew. You're heavier than you look, Miss Whoever-you-are.

He reaches the couch and dumps her unceremonious onto it, staggering backwards. He steadies himself for a second, before beginning to go through her jacket pockets. Out comes a small, black diary, a set of miniature screwdrivers, a tiny yellow cube that serves no apparent purpose, two packets of custard creams, a Vortex manipulator that appears to be broken, and a picture of her and a man with a flourishing moustache in a garden, which Jack holds up to the light for a moment. He puts it down, smiling at the scene. He opens up the diary to the front page.

JACK  
'Professor Bernice Summerfield'. A Professor, huh?

He pages through it for a second.

JACK  
...of archaeology. Interesting. But what are you doing in the middle of our Hub?

GWEN (o.s.)  
Jack? You in?

He looks up, as we hear the cog door closes with a rattle of gears.

JACK  
Up here!

Gwen Cooper takes the stairs two at a time, and stops as she sees Bernice and Jack.

GWEN  
Who's she?

JACK  
That's exactly what I was wondering. Actually- why are you here? I thought I told you to take the day off.

Gwen grimaces.

GWEN  
Couldn't concentrate on anything. It's fine. I had some things to do, anyway.

JACK  
It's not good for your life to be constantly around me. I'm a bad influence, or so I'm told.

GWEN (dryly)  
I hadn't noticed.

Jack motions towards Bernice.

JACK  
Professor Bernice Summerfield. Works at the Braxiatel Collection, is a general busybody- I quite like that sort of thing in a woman, actually- and usually lives in the far future.

GWEN  
How'd you know that?

JACK  
I read her diary. Also, she appeared in the middle of the Hub, suddenly and violently it looks like, sometime between the hours

of 2 am and 7.30.

GWEN  
The Rift?

JACK  
Looks like it.

GWEN  
Can't we ever catch a break?

Jack grins.

JACK  
Oh, come on. You know you love this sort of thing.

 _ **CROSSFADE TO:**_

 **INT. HUB- A FEW MINUTES LATER**

Gwen's on the phone, talking animatedly to Rhys- although we, as viewers, don't know that yet. The camera focuses on her for a moment, before swivelling around to the Board Room door, and moving forwards inside, to where Ianto's sitting, looking uncharacteristically exhausted. He's cradling a mug of coffee.

IANTO  
God, Jack. You couldn't have waited for a couple hours?

JACK  
That bad, huh.

IANTO  
Didn't get a wink of sleep last night. If I was the sort of person to take time off work, I would in a heartbeat.

JACK  
Sorry. But you know I can't stand to spend too long without that gorgeous face of yours.

Ianto smiles, despite the exhaustion.

IANTO  
Harrasment, sir.

JACK  
I think we passed that stage a while ago.

IANTO  
Hm. Is the mysterious Professor Summerfield in the cells, then?

The camera switches views as Gwen finally snaps her phone shut, and comes over to the boys, rolling her eyes. She catches the last snippet of the conversation.

GWEN  
Yeah. We dragged her down there a while ago.

The CCTV feed that's showing on the projection is displaying an image of the cells where their latest prisoner is. She's showing no sign of moving. The team watch her for a few seconds, and then Jack claps his hands together loudly.

JACK  
Right. Back to work, gang. Show me all Rift activity from recently, highlighting the times when Summerfield could have slipped through. I'll go and interrogate her when she wakes up.

IANTO  
No rest for the wicked.

GWEN  
Not while we have anything to say about, anyway.

JACK  
That's the spirit.

Pan up towards the ceiling, as we fade to:

 **INT. JUBILEE PIZZA**

It's the pizza place that Torchwood order from so often. The bored-looking blonde teen at the counter (Stephanie) is checking her phone for messages, looking annoyed that no one's texted or called her in quite a while. She's tapping her well-manicured fingernails against the table. The door jingles as it opens to admit a dapper man in a tailored suit- the same one in the picture that Jack found. This is Irving Braxiatel, Bernice's boss.

BRAXIATEL  
Excuse me.

Stephanie barely looks up, and Braxiatel's eyes flicker in a brief approximation of an eye roll.

STEPHANIE  
Yeah, what'd you want?

BRAXIATEL  
Some information, if that wouldn't trouble you too much.

STEPHANIE  
This is a pizza place. Do you really think I'm going to have any sort of information?

BRAXIATEL  
Ah. Sarcasm. I'd forgotten it was a staple trend of this timezone. If you'd be as kind to just tell me where Torchwood is located? And then I'll be out of your hair.

Stephanie fingers her hair for a moment, pursing her lips.

STEPHANIE  
Well, it's supposed to be a secret...

BRAXIATEL  
Yes?

STEPHANIE  
But I guess everyone knows about it by now. So...

BRAXIATEL  
A secret that everyone knows about. How quaint.

Stephanie points out of the doors and towards the Tourist Centre.

STEPHANIE  
Just through there. There's a secret entrance of some kind- can't help you any more than that.

BRAXIATEL  
Thank you.

STEPHANIE  
No problem.

Braxiatel exits the pizza shop, and the bell jingles behind him as the door closes. Stephanie calls after him:

STEPHANIE  
We've got a discount on large Hawaiian pizzas on Thursdays!

BRAXIATEL (o.s.)  
I'll keep that in mind!

Stephanie settles back, satisfied with a job well done, and goes back to texting.

 _ **CROSSFADE TO:**_

 **INT. CELL- DARK-ISH**

Bernice Summerfield sits up with a start. Focus in on her surprised expression as she looks around, taking her surroundings in.

BERNICE  
Okay. Dark cell. Right. That's not good, even by my standards, which, actually, are slipping rather quickly...

There's a crash from the left, followed by enthusiastic snarling and pounding, and she flinches, before straightening and yelling loudly.

BERNICE  
OI! I don't think much of the quality of your cell!

She stands, and looks out of the Plexiglass covering to the rest of the containment cells. They're mostly empty, but Janet the Weevil is a few down from her. Bernice grimaces at the alien creature, who howls right back.

BERNICE  
And the company's crap too! I'm awarding it four out of five slop buckets as soon as I sign into Yelp!

The camera switches to focus on the door at the end of the rows of cells, which, predictably, opens a few seconds later. Jack enters, and crosses directly over to Bernice. They stare at each other, and Bernice meets his gaze levely.

BERNICE  
I have a few questions for you before we start the inevitable questioning and torture scenes.

JACK (amused)  
Go right ahead.

BERNICE  
Fine. One, who the hell are you? Two, where the hell am I? Three, what the hell happened to me, and finally, why the hell can't I remember anything past the first sip of hypervodka from last night?

JACK  
I'm Captain Jack Harkness, you're in the containment cells at Torchwood, and as for the last two I have no idea. Although I can guess as to what happened with your hypervodka.

BERNICE  
Oh, really?

JACK  
Probably drugged.

BERNICE  
That's what I thought.

JACK  
Great minds...

BERNICE  
Are you calling your mind great?

JACK  
You've only just met me, and you're insulting. Tut tut, bad form, Professor Summerfield.

BERNICE  
Oh, and now I have a fifth question.

JACK  
What's that, then?

BERNICE  
How the hell do you know my name?

Jack reaches into his greatcoat pocket, and pulls out her diary, wiggling it in the air.

BERNICE  
Oi! That's private!

JACK  
I'm sure it is, and I am sorry. But we had to know who you were. Although...

BERNICE  
Yes?

JACK  
There were some fairly... interesting... descriptions in there...

Bernice's eyes narrow.

BERNICE  
You're not coming on to me, are you?

Jack winks. Thankfully for the fragile and innocent minds of the viewers, Ianto chooses this moment to walk in.

IANTO  
Jack, stop flirting with the prisoner!

BERNICE  
Oh, that's all right. I don't mind.

IANTO  
Well, I do.

Bernice gets it immediately.

BERNICE  
Oh, so you two- (she points at both of them, making motions with her hands)- you're together? Cute. Sorry about that, then.

JACK  
You have a problem with that?

BERNICE  
None at all. Actually, there was that time when my ex-husband and I got into some trouble with a group of vestal virgins, and we had to- actually, never mind, you probably don't want to hear about that.

JACK  
I think I do.

BERNICE  
You're far too young for that story.

JACK  
I'm several hundred years old.

BERNICE  
Like I just said- far, far too young.

Jack makes incoherent spluttering noises, while Ianto looks on, amused.

IANTO  
I like this one.

He unlocks the door of the cell, and offers his hand to Bernice, who shakes it firmly.

IANTO  
I'm Ianto Jones, Miss Summerfield. The scans say that you're human, and you don't have any weapons on you. I'd say it's safe to say that you're not dangerous.

BERNICE  
Charming. You could have asked.

JACK  
We're all about being thorough, here at Torchwood.

BERNICE  
Yes, about that- what is Torchwood? No one's bothered to tell me, and-

 _ **CUT TO:**_

 **INT. TORCHWOOD HUB**

Gwen's typing at her workstation, tongue sticking out from between her teeth and occasionally munching on a large chocolate-chip cookie, when a loud bell rings. She brings up the video feed of the Tourist Centre, which is a bit grainy compared to some of the other CCTVs. She peers at it, and sees Irving Braxiatel, who has rung the bell at the front desk several times, and is now going through the racks of holiday brochures. Gwen taps her earpiece.

GWEN  
Jack, there's a man in the tourist centre. I'm going to go take care of that, okay?

JACK (o.s.)  
Sure. We're bringing Professor Sumemrfield up now.

GWEN  
See you in a bit.

She stands up, brushing cookie crumbs off her jeans, and heads towards the exit.

 _ **CUT TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

Gwen enters through the front door, presenting the perfect image of a hurried shop assistant. She offers a smile to Braxiatel, who puts down the brochure on Hawaii that he's been examining.

GWEN  
Hiya. Sorry about that- had my lunch break. Hope you weren't waiting too long.

BRAXIATEL  
Not at all.

GWEN  
You looking for anything in particular?

BRAXIATEL  
As a matter of fact, yes. I'm looking for a group that goes by the name of 'Torchwood'. You wouldn't happen to know anything about them, would you?

Gwen's 'shop-assistant' smile has frozen on her face, but she struggles to cover it up.

GWEN  
I'm sorry, sir, I have no idea what you're talking about. Would you be interested in seeing the sights around Cardiff? I've heard that a lot of people are intruiged by the wreckage of SkyPoint-

BRAXIATEL  
Don't play games with me.

Gwen removes her gun from her jacket in one swift movement, and aims it at Braxiatel's head. He doesn't even flinch.

GWEN  
Who are you?

He smiles- a perfectly charming smile.

BRAXIATEL  
My name is Irving Braxiatel, and I'm looking for a colleague of mine.

 _ **CUT TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

Bernice takes the stairs slowly, looking around with a mildly interested expression. Jack and Ianto follow her up, still looking guarded.

BERNICE  
Nice place. Better than the one that UNIT's got, at any rate.

JACK  
You know UNIT?

BERNICE  
Mmhmm. Run by a nice chap- Lethbridge-Stewart, I think his name was. It was a while back- but, wait. You know UNIT too?

IANTO  
Well, 'know' is a pretty strong word. It's a love-hate relationship.

JACK  
You wouldn't happen to be able to get hold of one of those red berets for us, Professor Summerfield?

BERNICE  
Sorry. And please- call me Benny. All my friends do.

JACK  
Darn.

IANTO  
Keep trying, sir. You'll get a beret one day.

Bernice laughs, and the three of them keep walking through the Hub.

BERNICE  
Is it just the two of you?

JACK  
Nah. We have a third... but she's up in the tourist centre, dealing with... well, a tourist. She'll be back in a minute or so.

GWEN (over comms)  
Jack!

Jack taps his ear.

JACK  
Yeah? How's it coming?

GWEN (over comms)  
We have a problem. He knows about Torchwood!

 _ **CUT TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

Gwen is holding Braxiatel at gunpoint, and is backed up against the desk.

GWEN  
His name is Irving Braxiatel, and-

BERNICE (over comms)  
WHAT?

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

BERNICE (panicked)  
He can't know I'm here! Don't let him know I'm here!

Jack lets his hand drop from the earpiece.

JACK  
Why not?

BERNICE  
Because I've been running from him for at least a month, and I'm- oh hell.

IANTO  
What is it?

BERNICE  
I remember what happened. Last night.

 _ **DISSOLVE TO:**_

 **INT. ALIEN BAR- NIGHT**

It's a busy night, and the bar's filled with aliens of various species- think that scene from 'Star Wars'. Bernice is perched at the counter, and is sipping at a large, purple-ish drink carefully. It appears to be smoking. She looks like she's enjoying herself- she's talking with the bartender quite animatedly- but it's too noisy in the bar to make out any words. Pan over to the other side of the room to focus on a small, hamster-like alien with a black bag slung over her shoulder, known as 'Keri' to her friends, who's watching her with a mixed expression on her furry face.

BRAXIATEL  
Excuse me.

Keri jumps, and turns to face him.

KERI  
Yeah?

BRAXIATEL  
Would you happen to know where to find Professor Bernice Summmerfield?

He apparantly hasn't noticed her, but Keri has. She bites her lip, and shakes her head.

KERI  
Nope. Don't know who she is, yeah? She could be anywhere, and this is a big planetoid.

BRAXIATEL  
Hm.

KERI  
Sorry I couldn't help, yeah?

BRAXIATEL  
Hm.

He stands up, and disappears into the crowd. Keri looks back and forth nervously for a moment, before jumping off the chair where she is sitting, and dashing for the bar. The camera follows her progress- she jumps nimbly up onto the counter, next to Bernice.

KERI  
Benny! You've got to get out of here- that Braxiatel person is looking for you again!

BERNICE  
Keri- what? What are you doing here?

KERI  
Doesn't matter. I've got to get you out, yeah? Come with me.

She throws a nervous glance over her shoulder. The camera zooms and focuses on Braxiatel's face for a second- talking to a pack of service droids- and then returns to normal. Keri grab's Bernice's arm, and practically drags her towards the back door.

 **EXT. OUTSIDE ALIEN BAR- CONTINUOUS**

It's raining tonight- bucketing down in sheets. The alleyway that Keri and Bernice are in is a dead end. Keri's fiddling around in her bag, trying to find something.

BERNICE  
Okay, what's this all about? Last time we met, you nearly got me killed! Why the sudden change of heart?

KERI  
Irving bloody Braxiatel is here, yeah? The enemy of my enemy and all that...

BERNICE  
Since when did he become your enemy?

KERI  
Since he tried to have me killed!

BERNICE  
What?

KERI  
Yeah. I don't want to talk about it. And anyway, you're still my friend. No matter how much you hate me. I was bridesmaid at your wedding, yeah?

Bernice smiles.

BERNICE  
How could I forget? (pause) So how are you getting me 'out of here', then?

KERI  
Vortex manipulator.

She holds it up.

KERI  
I was saving it for a rainy day, yeah? It's a bit rusty, but it should get you somewhere else.

BERNICE  
Where?

KERI  
No idea. It's been pre-programmed.

BERNICE  
But what about Peter? I left him back at the hotel-

KERI  
No time! You can come back later, or-

The back door opens, and Braxiatel steps out into the rain.

BRAXIATEL  
Hello, Bernice.

Bernice snatches the Vortex manipulator from Keri, and presses the large button on it.

BERNICE  
Goodbye, Irving.

She dissolves into light. Keri tries to act natural.

KERI  
Huh. Weird, yeah? Do humans usually do that?

Braxiatel gives her a dirty look.

 _ **DISSOLVE BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

BERNICE  
I must have ended up here for some reason.

Jack taps his ear again.

JACK  
Gwen? Shoot him.

BERNICE  
No, don't!

 _ **OVER TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

Braxiatel appears to hear Bernice over the comms, and smiles widely.

BRAXIATEL (loudly)  
Ah, Benny! How lovely to hear your voice. Am I to assume that this 'Torchwood' group is keeping you... ah, 'safe'?

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

BERNICE (sotto)  
Give me one of those ear things.

Jack mutely hands one to her, and she shoves it roughly into her ear.

BERNICE  
Hiya, Brax. Wish I could say the same thing about your voice, but honestly, the sound of it's already making me sick. How are you coping on the Collection? Weather bright and sunny? Missing me already?

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

BRAXIATEL  
Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Bernice.

BERNICE (over comms)  
Really? I thought it looked rather good on me. Oh well.

BRAXIATEL  
I've come to ask you- politely- to return to the Collection with me. You'll be much safer there, I assure you.

BERNICE (over comms)  
Safe?! With you?

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

BERNICE  
You're joking. I'd rather die.

IANTO  
What's so bad about this Irving person? What has he done?

BERNICE  
Oh, nothing, really. He manipulated my son into killing my husband, and now we're both horribly traumatized- and for some reason, he still wants me on his bloody Collection! As if having everything else worth having in the universe wasn't enough!

JACK  
Gwen- shoot him!

BERNICE  
I said no!

JACK  
If it's so horrible, then why are you protecting him?

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

BRAXIATEL  
I'd rather like to know that myself.

BERNICE (over comms)  
Because... because...

BRAXIATEL  
Yes?

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

Bernice paces around for a moment, and then slumps down in a chair. She taps her earpiece.

BERNICE  
Okay, here's the thing. I've known you for a very long time, Irving Braxiatel, even though we haven't always met in the right order. The perils of time travel, huh? (she chokes out a laugh) When we first met, from your point of view- the first thing I said to you, was-

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

IRVING  
"Trouble?"

BERNICE (over comms)  
You remember.

IRVING  
Of course I do. It's not the sort of thing I'd forget.

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

BERNICE  
'Trouble'. Seems apt, doesn't it, considering how much trouble you've got me into over the years. I thought it first began on Cantus, when we first drove you off the Collection But you've been manipulating me for far longer than that, haven't you? All the little nudges. Even the time when I painted a portrait of you-

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

BERNICE (over comms)  
-and that was all part of your plan, because we found your precious little bank and outwitted your controller, and we know all about it-

BRAXIATEL  
You got past my clones?

BERNICE (over comms)  
Shut up, Irving.

GWEN  
I'm sure that you're having a lovely time, reminiscing over the past together. But do you actually have a point to this? Any reason why I shouldn't just shoot him here and now?

BERNICE (over comms)  
Yes.

JACK (over comms)  
Go on, then.

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

BERNICE  
Okay. The reason I can't bear to see you killed, even though you've ruined my life is this. Despite what you've done to me, all the people you've hurt, everything you've destroyed- whenever I look at you, I see the face of the man I had so many good times with. I see the person who I had tea with whenever I wasn't having a good day, and I see the man who was genuinely interested in what I had to say, even when everyone else thought I was mad for believing that something existed. I see the man who came to my wedding, and played cricket with all of the rest of the guest.

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

BERNICE (over comms)  
You're mad, Irving, you're insane. But you're somehow exactly the same- you have all the personality traits and habits of the man I knew before.

BRAXIATEL (softly)  
Benny...

BERNICE (over comms)  
And every time I look at you, I can't take you seriously as an enemy, because all I can think of isn't how you betrayed me, or how you made my son kill Jason-

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

Bernice is curled up in the chair, tears running down her cheeks.

BERNICE  
-I only remember when I was dying of that goddessdamn cancer from the Mary-Sue virus, and you held my hand and told me it was going to be all right, because that's what friends do.

 _ **BACK TO:**_

 **INT. TOURIST CENTRE**

BRAXIATEL  
I'm sorry.

BERNICE (over comms)  
So am I. (pause) Please, Irving, leave me alone. Go back to your precious little Collection, and stop stalking me around the galaxy. I have a son to take care of. I have friends that you haven't killed yet.

Close in on Gwen, who raises the gun to eye level, and-

BANG!

-she shoots!

 _ **SMASH CUT TO:**_

 **INT. HUB**

Bernice sits up, tears still streaking her face.

BERNICE  
YOU SHOT HIM?!

GWEN (over comms)  
It's just a tranquilizer. He'll be out for a few hours.

BERNICE  
Fine. Good.

IANTO  
Professor Summerfield-

BERNICE  
I said to call me Benny.

IANTO  
Benny, then. Are you going home?

Bernice brushes a sleeve across her face, drying her tears.

BERNICE  
Yeah. Yeah, I think I will. If I can get the manipulator to work again-

Jack hands her the Vortex manipulator, and her diary, which she takes gratefully.

BERNICE  
Thank you. All of you. I'd stay for a bit, but-

She shrugs.

JACK  
Yeah, I got it. You have a son.

BERNICE  
And a screwed-up extended family.

She smiles wryly, and regards the manipulator.

BERNICE  
See you 'round.

With a flash of light, she's gone...


End file.
